Hydraulic adjusting device



Mrch 25, 1958 c, F. EADG'LEYI 2828170 HYDRAuL'Ic ADJUSTING DEvIcE Filed on. 28. 1955 z'sheetS-sneet z l I I /3 a,

INVENTOR.v 050/1. F. BDGL'SY,

United States Patent'O Fi'ice v:This inventionrelates to hydraulicjack fdevfices,and hzore particularly to -a hydraulic jack device-suitable ,for use in'adjusting thetension o f vehicle tracksf' .main -objectof theinventionis to provide a novel and improved hydraulic jack device for use A-n ladjusting the' tension of -the tracks of 'track-lay'ing .vehicles, v'said jac k ,device being simple in construction, being ;easy vto 'surface -of the ring 23 and ;provides a fluid tight seal beoperat e, and being suitable generally foruse in -liftingoL-i;

adjusting relatively ;heavy loads` by .me an s -of -grase for oil pressure, or the like.

.A further objectof the invention is to ,provide an Vim- .provedhydraulic jack device which -is inexpensive'tofabrica'te, which is rugged in construction, which is suitable ;general use for `lifting or adjusting; relatively ;heavy loads .by rneans ;of .hydraulic pressure, forexample, ;by

frneansof .grease or oil pressure, and which ;is e asy -,t o ;operate, as by the vuse of a conventional grease gun, prgthe like.

,Furth'er objects and advantagesoftheginventiomwill become apparent from the vfollowing description ;and claims, and from `the accompanying drawings-, whefrein: Figure lisa side felevational view of an -improvdhy- :draulic jackdevice constructed vin accordance withv vthe w present nvention,"shown applied to a track-layng vehicle, and `arr angeds o `that `it may ;be employed for adjusting 'the I,tension of the track 7of the vehicle.

Figure V2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical cross `sectionalview taken through the jack device of l .Figure -1 Figure 3 is a transverse Vertical cross 5sectional view taken on theline 3-3 ofFigurefZ.

vFigure 4 is a longitulinal Vertical cross sectionalview taken through a modified vform of jack device according 'to :thepresentinvention.

Figurefi is a transverse Vertical cross sectionalzview taken on the line 5-- 5 of Figure 4. 'Fi-gure 6 is a transverse Vertical cross sectional view 'taken Aon the lineof Figure 4.

'Referring to the -drawings, and more ;particularly to 'Figures '1, 2 and 3, 11 Vdesignat'es a hydraulicjack device, for example, a jack device which is mounted on ajtrackllaying vehicle and :arranged for adjustng thetension of 'the track 12 of the vehicle. The hydraulic jack device 1 1 comprises a cylinder 13 which is securedin any suitablemannerto 'a portion 14 of the'frame of the vehicle. Designated at 1'5 is a pistonrod which vis secured in any suitable `manner to the axle bearing assembly 16, thepiston-rd 15 being aligned with the cylinder 13 and'being tthre'a'dedly engaged with a piston 1 7 vwhich isslidably-re- `ceived in the cylinder, as is clearly shown in Figure .2. The piston 17 is reduced at 18, and thecylinder bore similarly freduced :at 19 toslidably receive the reduced pistonportion '18. Designatedat 20 -is a circularfsealing element, which may begenerally cup-shaped,;a s1shown in Figure 2, .said

sealing element being relatively deformable ano being Patented Mar. 25, 1958 andsurroundin'g the tapered member 22 is theannular v`ring member 2 3 -of relatively expansible materiahfsuch as relatively soft metal, or the like, the ring 23bei'ng formed with-a tapered conical boreV '24 receiving vthtv` tapered member-22. :A sealing -ring 25 of rubber'or 'simivtween ring 2 3 vandthe inside surface of the .reducefd ;por- 'tion19 of the cylinder wall.

Designated at H27 is a grease inlet fitting which 'ismoun-ted in the end portion of 'the cylinder wall facing Vthe'piston sealing tnernber 20, Vas ;shown in Figure'2, the inlet fi t ti ng 27 vbeing lprovided with a check Vball 28 which pre- `ven t he discharge of lgrease from the 'fitting after lsaid grea s ehas been Iforced into 'the cylinder.v 'OpPosite the grease fitting 27 the cylinder wall is formed with-a tapped -bore Zin which is engaged a threaded plug 30. 'A 'pasage 3 =1 connects `the interior of the cylinder with the bore29, 7and a valve ball 32 ;is =provi ded "in the -bore 29, said ballbeing held on theseajt defined by the opening 31 by t he threaded plug 30 `when ;said plug :is 'tighte'ned zdischgarge :passage 33 is vprovided in lthe endwall 'of the cylinder, said passage communicatingwith `the bore '29,nd :allowinggrease to fdjischarge therethrough fro'rn thecylinderwhen the plug 30 is loosened.

When it is desired to increase the tens1ong-of the -vehicle track 12, grease is pumped ;into the ;cylinder by meansofa suitable implement -suchfas a Igrease gun, or the like, applied 'to the grease fittin'g 27, the f'grease acting 'against -the p'iston sealing member 20 ,and the pres- ,'sur'efther-eof being transmittedto ;the deformable annular 'sealing ring .23 which wedgingly engage's 'against 'the tapered member vu22 of the pistonls. ,The wed'ging action thus -exerted causes the ring2 3 to expand and to providea tight metalto-meta'l s ea1 between the p-iston portioiifl'S afndfthe inside surface of 'the cylinder, while at the same time allowing the-piston tobe moved the amount necessary to provide the "desired tension in the track 1`2. The grea'se will be retai-ned in thecylinder because of the closing of :the check valve ball 28 against-the gr'ease inlet opening of the -fitting 27 When thejgrease gun is removed, whereby the tension lin the track '12'will be 'maintained In order to loosenfthetrack, it is merely which is formed with an elongated portion 14' of sub 's'tantially smaller diameter arranged a'xially with respect to the enlarged main portion of the cylinder, as shown.

. pi'ston, designated generally at 15' has a relatively l'z-ir'ge main body portion 16' slidably received in the 'envlarg'etlrn'ain portion of cylinder '13' and vhas a reduced `extension 17' 'slidably received in the reduced cylinder portion 1'4'. Between the enlarged main portion 16' and the 'reduced extension 17' of the piston, the piston is ;ZI :of -rubber or Vsimilar defo'rmab'le v'resili'ent material is; seatedin an "annular :groove formed on the tapered member 18' .to :provide a fluid-tightsseal between the -ing cup 24', as by the hollow bolt 25'.

sealing ring 26'.

" provide a fluid-tight seal between the ring 19""and the inside surface der 13'.

:of the ,enlarged main portion` of the cylin- Designat'ed at 23'is a conically tapered member-formed 2,8e8,17o i at the end of the reduced piston portion 17' said 'conically tapered memberV havingV secured thereto the circular seal- A sealing ,ring 26' of deformable resilient material is Vseated in an annular groove formed in the c'oncallyl tapered member 23'. Designated at 27 is a ring member'ofirelatively soft metal, similar toV the material'employed for the ring member 19', said Vring member 'being'formed with a tapered bore 28' in which the' tapered member 23' is received and which Vis sealed with respect thereto by the A sealing' ring 28' `of deformable resilient material is vseated in an annular groove formed in the outer surface of the ring'27', the sealing ring 28' providing a fluid tight seal between the ring member 27' and the inside surface of the reduced portion 14' of the cylinder.

The piston 17' is formed with an axial bore 30' which communicates with the bore 31' of the hollow bolt 25' and which is in communication with a laterally directed passage 32' formed in the end portion of piston member 17' adjacent the neck member 18', the passage 32' communicatiug with the space 33' between the ring 19' and the shoulder portion 34' of the cylinder. The space 33' is thus in communication with the space 35' between the sealing member 24' and the end wall 3d' of the reduced cylinder member 14'.

A grease fitting 37' is provided in the wall of the enlarged portion of the cylinder 13' adjacent the shoulder wall 34', as shown in Figure 5. VOpposite the fitting 37', the Wall of the cylinder is provided with the release plug 38' which controls the closure of a valve ball 39'. on the opening 4G' connecting space 33' with the bore of the plug 38', the shoulder wall 34' being provided with a discharge passage 41' communicating with the bore of the plug 38' through which grease may discharge from the space 33' when the plug 38' is loosened to allow the valve ball 39' to unseat.

As in the previously described form of the invention, grease is pumped into the space 33', as by the use of a suitable grease gun, the grease filling the space 33' and flowing through passage 32', bore 30' and the hollow bolt 25' into the space 35', the combined pressures of v, the grease material acting on the member 24' and on the ring 19' to expand the expansible ring elements 27' and 19' to provide a close, fluid tight seal between said members 19' and 27' and the adjacent surfaces of the cylinder wall. By providing the piston extension 17', the main piston portion 16' is maintained accurately centered, and

tilting or misalignment thereof is effectively prevented.

The expansible ring member 23 in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, and the expansible ring members 19' and 27' in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4, and 6, are preferably made of suitable relatively soft metal, such as aluminum, brass, or the like, these metals being considerably softer than the material of which the pistons are made which is ordinarily steel. The cup members '2d in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and 24' in Figures 4, 5 and 6,

are preferably made of leather, neoprene, or similar vdeforrnable material.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved hydraulic jack device have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that variousmodifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore,'it is intended that fined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hydraulic jack device of the Character described, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a piston sealing member aligned with said piston, a tapered member at the end of said piston adjacent said piston sealing member, means conn'ecting said piston sealing member to said piston, an expansible ring member surrounding said tapered member and disposed between the piston sealing member vand said tapered member, the outer portion of said ring member sealingly engaging the inside surface of the cylinder, said outer portion being formed with acircumferential annular groove, and a sealing ring of resilient deformable material in said groove.

2. In a hydraulic jack device of the Character described, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tapered member at the end of said piston, an expansible ring member sur- `rounding said tapered member and wedginglyengaging said Vtapered member, the outer portion of said ring member sealingly engagingthefinside surface of the cylinder, said outer portion being formed with a circurnferential annulargroove, and a sealing ring of resilient deformable material in said groove.

`3. In a hydraulicl jack device of the Character described, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, `a piston sealing member aligned with said piston, a tapered member at the end of said piston adjacent said piston sealing member, a ring member disposed on said tapered member and being arranged` between said tapered member-and vsaid piston sealing member, said ring memberbeing of'relatively deformable material and being expansible into sealing engagement with the inside surface of the cylinder responsive to thrust eXerted by the piston thereon, the outer surface portion of the' ring member being formed With a circum'ferential groove, and a sealing ring of resilient deformable material in said groove.

4. In aV hydraulic jack devicfeof the character described, a cylinder, a piston' ,in said` cylinder, a piston sealing member aligned with vsaid piston, a tapered member at the endV of said piston adjacent said piston sealing member, means connecting said piston sealing'member to said piston, a ring member disposed on said tapered member and being arranged between said tapered member and said piston sealing member, said ring member being of relatively soft metal and being expan'sible into sealing engagement with Vthe inside surface of the cylinder responsive to thrust exerted by the piston thereon, the outer surface portion of thering member being formed with a circumferential groove, and a sealing ring of resilient deformable material in said groove.

5. In a hydraulic jack device of the character described, a cylinder, a piston in saidV cylinder, a piston sealing member slidably mounted in said cylinder in alignment with said piston, a tapered member at the end of said piston adjacent said piston sealing member, axial bolt means connecting said piston sealing member to said and being arranged between said tapered member and Vsaid piston sealing member, said ring 'member having a taperedinternalbore receiving lsaid tapered member and being of relatively vsoft metal, said ring memberbeiug expansible into sealing engagement with the inside surface of the cylinder responsive to thrust exerted by the piston thereon, the outer surface portion of the ring member being formed With a -circumferential groove, and a sealing ringvof resilient deformable material in said groove.

6. In a hydraulic jack device of the character described, a cylinder having a main bore and a relatively smallerr anxiliary bore closed at its end and axially aligned with said main bore, a -main piston in said main bore, a re' duced piston element in said auxiliary bore, a tapered portion rigidly connecting said main piston to said reduced piston element, a second tapered portion on the end of said reduced piston element, respective expansivble ring members on said tapered portions wedgingly engageable with the inside surfaces of the main bore and auxliary bore, and a deformable sealing cup on the end of said second tapered portion, said reduced piston element and its tapered portion being formed With a pas- Sage opening at one end into the closed end of the auxiliary bore and opening at its other end into the space in the main bore adjacent the expansible ring member on the tapered portion connecting the main piston to said reduced piston element, said cylinder being provided With passage means in its Wall for the admission of pressure fiud into the cylinder.

7. In a hydraulic jack device of the character described, a cylinder having a main bore and a relatively 'smaller auxiliary bore closed at its end iand axially aligned with said main bore, a main piston in said main bore, a reduced piston element in said auxiliary bore, a tapered portion rigdly connecting said main piston to said reduced piston element, a second tapered portion on the end of said reduced piston element, sealing means on the tapered portions, and a deformable sealing cup on the end of said second tapered portion, said reduced piston element and its tapered portion being formed with a passage opening at one end into the closed end of the auxiliary bore and opening at its other end into the space in the main bore adjacent the sealing means on the tapered portion connecting the main piston to said reduced piston element, said cylinder being provided With passage means in its Wall for the admission of pressure fluid into the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 178,965 Sellers June 20, 1876 1,228,586 Mulvihill June 5, 1917 2,462,586 Whittingham Feb. 22, 1949 2,555,647 King June 5, 1951 2,593,193 Rockwell Apr. 15, 1952 2,663,600 Newhall Dec. 22, 1953 

